Workmen's advocate., 1887-01-01
THE ASS AND THE LIONS SKIN
X FABLE.

Once upon time the beasts of the for est, perceiving that man was encroach- ing too much upon their rights, decided to organize in selfdefense, and as would naturally be supposed, there was gen eral sentiment existing among the dele gates that the Lion was the proper ami maj to lead them. But among the mem- bers of the committee on organization there was an Ass who was possessed of a certain amount of low cunning. And the Ass said to himself, Behold, here is an opportunity for me to obtain for my self a fat job; shall not be backward in making it available.'
 Therefore when the invitations to the meeting for the election of officers were sent out, the Ass cunntngly contrived to have the Lion omitted and in the mean time procured for himself a Lions skin and attended the meeting incognito. The true Lion being unavoidably absent, the delegates having no means whereby to discover the imposition which had been practiced upon them, elected the Ass in the Lions skin as their leader. In process of time the Ass waxed fat in the office which he had obtained but the interests of his constituents were ut terly neglected, and the state of affairs continued to grow worse until they real ized that something must be done or the organization would go to pieces. Yet none were possessed of an idea as to where the difficulty lay.
 Now the Eagle was a person of some ability for whose advice and counsel con- siderable respect had been shown. so an other meeting of the delegates was called, and the Eagle was invited to be present and render his opinion of the difficulty. The Eagle took in the situa- ton at glance. Friends" said he, 'the secret of your trouble lies in the leader whom you have elected. You imagined him to be a Lion when, in point of fact, he is but disguised Ass" And thereup)n the Eagle, seizing with his talons the Lions skin, completely stripped it from the leader, leaving his aslnlne countenance and ears exposed to view. Moreover the Ass, in the excite ment and fear consequent upon his ex- posture prayed aloud with dismay.
 The Ass was now entirely denuded of his borrowed garment, but recovering his self-possession he addressed his foi- lowers thus; Friends, will you permit thlS hlrellng of your opponents to insin- uate that am an Ass? Will you admit that your judgment was at fault when you elected me? You elected me as a Lion, therefore am 1 Lion, and no amount of exposure can make me any, thing else. As for this Eagle, he is hnt an lnterloper; an intruder, who assumes that you do not know the difference be- tween Lion and an Ass. Drive him hence! Destroy him,
 And the Ass waved his long ears and prayed the charge upon the Eagle. and with one accord they fell upon the Eagle ana would have destroyed him but for the supremacy with which nature had endowed him. With a stroke of his broad pinions the Eagle shot into the realms of space, and disappeared from view. He was seen no more at the conn., ell hres of the organization.
 The Ass was now duabiy reinstated in the graces of his constituents who crowned him as real Lion. He adont- ed policy of his own and led them on until the hand of man had well nigh ey- terminated them; when, perceivinp that the enemy was too powerful for him. he deserted and went over to the other side where he Is employed to this day in dragging junk cart.
 MORAL:
 To make mistake is foolish. but to he unable to realize and correct a mistake ! Is idiotic.
 HERBERT EATON.